Meaning of 'swell' (Webster Dictionary)
- Having the characteristics of a person of rank and
importance; showy; dandified; distinguished; as, a swell person; a
swell neighborhood.
- The act of swelling.
- Gradual increase.
- Increase or augmentation in bulk; protuberance.
- Increase in height; elevation; rise.
- Increase of force, intensity, or volume of sound.
- Increase of power in style, or of rhetorical force.
- A gradual ascent, or rounded elevation, of land; as, an
extensive plain abounding with little swells.
- A wave, or billow; especially, a succession of large waves;
the roll of the sea after a storm; as, a heavy swell sets into the
harbor.
- A gradual increase and decrease of the volume of sound; the
crescendo and diminuendo combined; -- generally indicated by the sign.
- A showy, dashing person; a dandy.
- To grow larger; to dilate or extend the exterior surface
or dimensions, by matter added within, or by expansion of the inclosed
substance; as, the legs swell in dropsy; a bruised part swells; a
bladder swells by inflation.
- To increase in size or extent by any addition; to
increase in volume or force; as, a river swells, and overflows its
banks; sounds swell or diminish.
- To rise or be driven into waves or billows; to heave; as,
in tempest, the ocean swells into waves.
- To be puffed up or bloated; as, to swell with pride.
- To be inflated; to belly; as, the sails swell.
- To be turgid, bombastic, or extravagant; as, swelling
words; a swelling style.
- To protuberate; to bulge out; as, a cask swells in the
middle.
- To be elated; to rise arrogantly.
- To grow upon the view; to become larger; to expand.
- To become larger in amount; as, many little debts added,
swell to a great amount.
- To act in a pompous, ostentatious, or arrogant manner; to
strut; to look big.
- To increase the size, bulk, or dimensions of; to cause to
rise, dilate, or increase; as, rains and dissolving snow swell the
rivers in spring; immigration swells the population.
- To aggravate; to heighten.
- To raise to arrogance; to puff up; to inflate; as, to be
swelled with pride or haughtiness.
- To augment gradually in force or loudness, as the sound
of a note.
Meaning of 'swell' (Princeton's WordNet)
Meaning (1):
- come up (as of feelings and thoughts, or other ephemeral things)
Example in sentence:- Smoke swelled from it;
- Strong emotions welled up
Meaning (2):
- come up, as of a liquid
Example in sentence:- Tears well in her eyes;
- the currents well up
Meaning (3):
- expand abnormally
Example in sentence:- The bellies of the starving children are swelling
Meaning (4):
- become filled with pride, arrogance, or anger
Example in sentence:- The mother was swelling with importance when she spoke of her son
Meaning (5):
- increase in size, magnitude, number, or intensity
Example in sentence:- The music swelled to a crescendo
Meaning (6):
- cause to become swollen
Example in sentence:- The water swells the wood
Meaning (7):
- very good
Example in sentence:- a neat sports car;
- had a great time at the party;
- he did a bully job;
- we had a grand old time;
- you look simply smashing
Definition
[ a.]